"Weekends aren't a shift!"

So, since weekends aren't a shift, they have closed the cafeteria to staff and visitors. Of course, they still will serve patients by some miracle.

You're probably thinking it's because they're trying to save money. Nope. I spoke to the director of dietary and asked if people were losing jobs and how it was going to be staffed. She responded that the same amount of employees will be there on weekends just like old times. I asked her why close it then. During the week, it is open for all 3 meals and in between. In between you can get drinks, snacks, etc and leave your money in a locked case. Surprisingly, no one has cheated as their is a camera pointing directly at it.

Used to be, on weekends we got served lunch only but the doors were left open and we could go in and get drinks, snacks, etc. and leave money. Now the doors are staying LOCKED all day long. If a pt requests coffee or pop, we have to call dietary and have them bring it over. If a visitor wants coffee or pop they're going to have to go to McDonald's which is so great when you get the elderly visitors.

We also received a note stating that if staff 'steals' snacks that are on the floor, which consists of graham crackers, peanut butter, and saltines, that we will be cut off. Hmm, and what to do about those crashing diabetics at 2am?

So after speaking with the director I hear a very high on the food chain nurse say "weekends aren't considered a shift". I emailed her and told her that if weekends aren't a shift then I guess I can stay home.

I know I need a new job. But for some reason, big hospitals scare me and that's what I'm surrounded by.

Its because administration doesn't work weekends. If they worked weekends they might want to eat food, too! Somehow administration often is under the misunderstanding that the hospital is only function 8-5 Monday-Friday. Nursing is there 24/7/365!

Its because administration doesn't work weekends. If they worked weekends they might want to eat food, too! Somehow administration often is under the misunderstanding that the hospital is only function 8-5 Monday-Friday. Nursing is there 24/7/365!

Exactly! Most hospitals I have worked in do this. I guess they don't realize nurses eat, too.

I wish I had some solution, I work nights and it seems that from 6-midnight, they take away more and more of the food in the cafeteria. This results in just arriving on the floor and 90% of the staff is down in the cafeteria trying to find food when you need help The day shift however, has several grill stations making food that changes every day. I guess they figure we don't eat at night. I know to be grateful however, at least we have the drinks and snacks downstairs, and we have never been told not to eat the patients snacks.

You're probably thinking it's because they're trying to save money. Nope. I spoke to the director of dietary and asked if people were losing jobs and how it was going to be staffed. She responded that the same amount of employees will be there on weekends just like old times.

Don't let 'em fool you. It is about the bottom line. They're saving money on food and supplies, if not staffing.

So after speaking with the director I hear a very high on the food chain nurse say "weekends aren't considered a shift". I emailed her and told her that if weekends aren't a shift then I guess I can stay home.

This sounds like this is going to **** off a lot of people. So much for patient/visitor satisfaction scores. Really, how much does it cost to open up the cafeteria for a couple of hours to the employees and visitors so that people can EAT. This is truly rediculous. Your hospital needs to get a grip on reality and get a life.

Honey, don't you know. Admin. believes if we have time to eat, then we are not busy enough. Your gonna end up with a larger pt load if you let them know you have time to eat and steal snacks from the pantry...

Where I work nights aren't considered a shift, either. Day shift is served 3 meals (without charge), but I can't even get them to leave a decent HS snack for my diabetics. I am the one who provides peanut butter crackers and juice for my diabetics because I stop at the store on my way in a purchase these things.

Believe it or not I have been through this. One of the reasons that nurses are treated so badly is that people in charge work Mon thru Fri with weekends and Holidays off. They haven't felt it in their own bones what is like so they are clueless.

If they pay you for your lunch, they can keep you from leaving your unit. Our policy says, employees are strongly encouraged to take their assigned lunchbreaks IF the unit workload allows.

Our facility takes out a 30 minute lunch deduction automatically and, therefore, you can leave if you want to. However, it would be abandonment of your pts if you don't have someone that you can report off to that will take responsibility for your pts while you are gone. So they got you.

If we aren't able to leave the unit for our lunch, or get called during our lunch, we turn in a 'no lunch' form so that the 30min lunch deduction is cancelled from our timesheet for that shift.

Unless they give you a PAID lunch, they cannot legally prevent you from leaving during lunch. They CAN require you to clock in and out to make sure you're getting back to the facility in time.

I used to work nights. (also no cafeteria) We'd get together and decide what we wanted to eat and one person would go out to pick it up.

No way!! I have always been told that if we leave the grounds during our shift, that is considered patient abandonment. Doesn't matter if you have a covering nurse. We are to be readilly available in the event of an emergency. BTW I have worked 3 hospitals and those rules are across the board.